Kenny welcomes latest fall in unemployment figures

From the van to the pole: Campaign workers were busy putting up election posters this week. Photo: Michael Donnelly

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny has welcomed recent employment figures which show that the unemployment rate has fallen to 8.6 per cent, the lowest it has been since 2008.

"Employment is now growing in every region of the country including here in the west," Mr Kenny said. "Since the Action Plan for Jobs was launched in quarter one of 2012 there have been 3,100 additional new jobs created in the west, with the number of people employed increasing from 177,100 to 180,200.

"Enterprise Ireland and IDA numbers are also strong for the west — 6,195 net new jobs were supported by EI and IDA in the west, and there is an 11 per cent increase in EI/IDA supported jobs in the term of this government. The number of people on the live register in Mayo has fallen by 948 — or nine per cent — in the last year [December 2014 v December 2015], and since 2012 when we launched our Action Plan for Jobs the live register in Mayo has reduced by 2,531, a 19 per cent decrease.

"Fine Gael have a long term economic plan to keep this recovery going and bring the benefits behind the door of every home, both here in Mayo in across Ireland," he added. "Only a strong economy can provide jobs and in turn the resources to invest in the services our people want and need. We cannot risk the recovery by handing it back to those who wrecked it before and destroyed 7,000 jobs in the west between 2008 and 2011. The recovery has taken hold and we must now work to keep it going. Fine Gael are the only party with candidates in Mayo and a clear long term plan do keep the recovery going."